The diocese of Aachen has published on the Internet the names of 53 deceased perpetrators and suspected perpetrators who are accused of sexual violence against minors or those under their protection. The step was announced in May and is intended to help deal with abuse.
It’s about 52 priests and one layman, said Bishop Helmut DIESE in Aachen at a digital press conference. “We would like to encourage those affected to speak out,” the bishop is quoted as saying. “By naming the names, we are making further progress.” According to its own statement, Aachen is the first diocese to take this step. He has been the abuse commissioner of the German Bishops’ Conference for about a year.
The following criteria apply for the publication of a name: A relevant state or canonical conviction – then we speak of “perpetrators” – or there must be a positive application from those affected for recognition of the suffering from the Independent Commission for Recognition Services (UKA), then this is there is talk of “a suspected perpetrator”. In addition, the person must have died more than ten years ago. Biographical data, criminal convictions and accusations are briefly mentioned. Some of the priests have been dead for more than 60 years.
Hotline set up for those affected
The mention of the names is linked to a call to the public to provide further information about the investigation. The diocese explained that the parishes in which the accused were working at the time of the crime were informed. There is a telephone hotline for those affected and the option to report online.
In November 2020, Aachen was one of the first dioceses to publish an independent, unrestricted report from a law firm on its own handling of allegations of sexual abuse. Evidence of 175 victims of abuse was found. Attacks by 81 clerics were investigated. Of these, 14 were described in more detail, but the names were not mentioned.